High solids methylated urea-formalde-hyde coating compositions

ABSTRACT

THERE ARE PROVIDED HIGH SOLIDS METHYLATED UREA-FORMALDEHYDE RESIN COMPOSITIONS COMPRISING (1) AT LEAST 80%, BY WEIGHT, OF A BLEND OF (A) LIQUID OR SYRUPY METHYLATED UREA-FORMALDEHYDE RESINS COMPOSED OF UREA, FORMALDEHYDE, AND METHANOL IN 1:2-3:1-2.5 MOLAR RATIO, RESPECTIVELY, AND (B) A MONOFUNCTIONAL BRANCHED-CHAIN ALIPHATIC ALCOHOL WHEREIN THE ALCOHOL IS PRESENT IN AN AMOUNT EQUAL TO FROM 30% TO 70% OF THE OVERAL BLEND AND (2) THE BALANCE, THAT IS, NOT MORE THAN, 20%, BY WEIGHT, IF DESIRED, BEING A SUITABLE SOLVENT FOR SAID BLEND. THE COMPOSITION, WHEN APPLIED AS A COATING TO A METAL OR WOOD SUBSTRATE AND HEATED, WILL RENDER THE SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY FREE FROM PINHOLES, CRAWLING, AND CRATERING.

United States Patent HIGH SOLIDS METHYLATED UREA-FORMALDE- HYDE COATING COMPOSITIONS Werner Josef Blank, Wilton, Conn., assignor to American Cyanamid Company, Stamford, Conn.

N0 Drawing. Filed Jan. 31, 1972, Ser. No. 222,321

Int. Cl. C08c 11/28, 11/32; C08f 45/28 US. Cl. 260-334 R Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE There are provided high solids methylated urea-formaldehyde resin compositions comprising (1) at least 80%, by weight, of a blend of (a) liquid or syrupy methylated urea-formaldehyde resins composed of urea, formaldehyde, and methanol in 1:2-3:1-2.5 molar ratio, respectively, and (b) a monofunctional branched-chain aliphatic alcohol wherein the alcohol is present in an amount equal to from 30% to 70% of the overall blend and (2) the balance, that is, not more than, by weight, if desired, being a suitable solvent for said blend. The composition, when applied as a coating to a metal or wood substrate and heated, will render the surface substantially free from pinholes, crawling, and cratering.

The present invention relates to a novel coating composition comprising high solids content of methylated ureaformaldehyde resins. More particularly, it relates to high solids coating compositions comprising a blend of a monofunctional branched-chain aliphatic alcohol and a methylated urea-formaldehyde resin. Still more particularly, it relates to a coating composition comprising at least 80% and as much as 100% of a blend of 1) from 70% to 30% of syrupy methylated urea-formaldehyde resin composed of urea, formaldehyde, and methanol in a 1:2-3:12.5 molar ratio, respectively, and (2) from 30% to 70% of a monofunctional branched-chain aliphatic alcohol and to coated substrates free from imperfections, such as pinholes, crawling, and cratering, the percentages recited being by weight.

It is known that urea-formaldehyde resin or other resinous compositions can be employed to coat wood or metallic substrates. Unfortunately, such compositions are prepared as low solids solutions containing not more than about 70% solids because higher solids content would be too viscous for more applications. This is apparently due to the nature of the resinous material present in the composition. Moreover, where high solids coating compositions containing from 80% to 100% of a known resin, such as methylated urea-formaldehyde resin, in the presence of cross-linkable straight-chain monofunctional alcohols were formulated, the coatings were less than satisfactory due to sensitivity of the coating compositions to film imperfections, such as crawling and cratering. Resultant coatings were further found to possess poor chemical and physical properties exhibiting either hard and brittle film characteristics or sticky, soft, and rubbery coatings. If a coating composition can be provided which is devoid of the shortcomings of the prior practice, such would fulfill a long-felt need in the art.

It has been unexpectedly found that a high solids content coating composition can be readily heat-cured by providing a methylated urea-formaldehyde resin in the presence of a branched-chain monofunctional aliphatic alcohol and from 0% to not more than 20% of a suitable solvent for said resin. The alcohol appears to be crosslinked by the urea resin in situ. The latter is a cross-linking agent so that when the resin and alcohol mixture is applied to a substrate, it will result in a coating free from imperfections. It has been further found that the ratio 3,776,879 Patented Dec. 4, 1973 of urea resin to branched-chain monofunctional aliphatic alcohol as hereinbelow defined is critical to achieve the desired coating.

According to the present invention, a blend of (1) methylated urea-formaldehyde resin composed of urea, formaldehyde, and methanol in a 1:23 l2.5 molar ratio present in from 70% to 30%, by weight, and (2) a branched-chain monofunctional aliphatic alcohol present in from 30% to 70%, by weight, either in the presence or absence of a small, but effective, amount of, for instance, 0.1% to 5% of an acidic polymerization catalyst. When the composition is applied to a substrate, the coating composition polymerizes to a smooth, pinhole-free, crater-free, crawling-free topping or coating.

The methylated urea-formaldehyde resins are composed of urea, formaldehyde, and methanol in a 1:2-3:1-2.5 molar ratio, respectively. In one method, the resin can be prepared by refluxing in the anhydrous state a urea, formaldehyde, and methanol at a pH of at least 8 to effect urea-formaldehyde reaction, continuing the reaction at a pH equal to 4.5 to 5.5, and then lowering the pH to from 2 to 3 for about one hour until a syrupy, low polymeric material has been obtained.

Exemplary of the branched-chain primary or secondary alcohols which contain from at least 6 and preferably from 8 to 18 carbon atoms, or more, are: Z-ethyl hexanol, isooctanol, diisobutyl carbinol, iso-decanol, 2,6,8-trimethyl- 4-nonanol, and isooctadecanol. Also contemplated are dihydric alcohols which are monofunctional. Such typical dihydric alcohols are: 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol, 2-ethyl-2, 4-pentanediol, and 2-ethyl-2,4-hexanediol. The latter dihydric alcohols contain a secondary hydroxyl group which is reactive and a tertiary hydroxyl group which is unreactive. If desired, mixtures of monofunctional alcohols can be employed in preparing the blend. The alcohol component of the blend on a weight basis may range from about 30% to about 70%, the remainder being the urea resin defined hereinabove, provided that a mol ratio of 0.4 to 0.8 mol of the alcohol blend per mol of urea resin is maintained.

Advantageously, the blend of the present invention can be prepared in the absence of either an acidic polymerization catalyst or solvent. However, if polymerization or curing temperatures of less than about 175 C. are desired, the utilization of an acidic catalyst is required to effect curing within a short period of time, say between five and twenty minutes. Otherwise, at the lower temperatures, say C., an extended curing or heating period would be necessary to achieve the coating desired. Illustrative catalysts are: phosphoric acid, butylphosphoric acid, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, methane sulfonic acid, toluene sulfonic acid, and equivalents of the same. .Similarly, it is preferred to omit a solvent, such as water, toluene, or other organic solvent, for the urea resin in preparing the blended mixture. However, there may be added up to about 20%, by weight, of any suitable solvent based on the overall weight of the blend to lower or otherwise modify the viscosity of the blend. Further, a portion of the polyhydric alcohol may be substituted by a viscosity flow modifier so as to increase the viscosity of the composition. The use of polyesters, polyethers, or acrylic resins in small quantities, generally from 5% to 20% of the overall composition, will insure that the resultant viscosity will render the composition sprayable.

Surprisingly, the monofunctional aliphatic alcohols can be employed to effect cross-linking or curing of a methylated urea-formaldehyde resin so that the latter, when spread over a surface, will render that surface entirely satisfactory both chemically and physically.

For a better understanding of the invention, it will be further illustrated by the following examples which are to be taken as illustrative only and not by Way of limitation. All parts are by weight unless otherwise specified.

EXAMPLE 1 This example illustrates the preparation of a methylated '4 EXAMPLES 10 TO 14 As in Examples 2 to 9 above, a plurality of blends of urea resin, an alcohol, and acid catalyst is applied to aluminum panels so as to maintain a wet film thickness of urea-formaldehyde resin which can be employed as a one mil on each panel. After a flash-off time of five component of the blend constituting the coating composiminutes, t e fi are cured baked at for tion of the present invention. fifteen minutes. The compositions, as well as the Knoop To a two-liter, three-necked flask equipped with stirhardness, re S forth in Table II belowrer, condenser, and thermometer are charged 288 parts 10 of methanol, 297 parts of 91% paraformaldehyde, and triethanolamine to adjust the pH to 9 to 10. The tem- TABLE H perature is raised to 50 C. and 180 parts of urea are added over a period of twenty minutes. The mixture is Example 11 12 13 14 heated to reflux (81 C.). Refluxing is continued for 15 Composition: twenty-five to thirty minutes or until the mixture is clear 2218 3253 g 23 g8 28 1% and homogeneous. The mixture is cooled to 75 C. and to Iso-deran 16 it is added over a seven-minute period (to prevent exces- 'g ggigg gg acid (20% 4 4 4 sive exotherm) sufiicient 90% aqueous formic acid to Knoop hardness---. 28 3-4 27 reduce the pH of the mixture to 4.5 to 5.5. The mixture 20 is then brought to reflux (about 84 C.), and refluxing is continued for about three hours. At the end of this 1 period, the rate of reaction of the methanol with the It il be noted h h film prepared i Examples ureaformaldehyde reaction product has become slow. 12 and 14 i l l are very h d tough d f The mixture is then allowed to C001 i0 and 70% 25 from any film imperfections, resisting some 100 acetone aqueous nitric acid is uniformly added over an additional rubs. Water immersion for as long as 24 hours did not Seven-minute Peri0d to adjust the P downward to 2 to soften the films; nor did it cause any blistering of the The mixture is then Stirred at until coating. It will be further noted that the proportion of a i1fea-fol'maidehyde'meihahoi resin is About the blend is critical in order to attain the desired film one hour is generally required. The mixture is then ad- 30 coating lusied i0 P 7 t0 3 With 50% aqueous Sodium hydroxide Although 50 parts of urea resin are reacted with 50 solutionand stripped under reduced pressure to remove parts of 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol, the mol ratio of alcohol Substantially all Of the Volatiles Present (Water, formalto urea resin is 1.35 to 1. As hereinabove indicated, this dehyde, and meihahon- The terminal temperature of the ratio is without the purview of the present invention. stripping step is about 100 C. Resultant syrup is cooled I claim; to room p 'ature. 1. A coating composition comprising:

The mol rat1o of the urea, formaldehyde, and (1) at least by weight, f a l d comprising methanol resin as hereinabove prepared analyzes as 1 f 70% to 30%, by weight, of a syrupy m th mol:2.4 mols:l.6 mols, respectively. Although the latter lated -f 1d h d resin composed of urea, is p e in each of the examples below, other 40 formaldehyde and methanol in 1:2-3:1-2.5 molar resins of dilfering mol ratios, such as 1:2.4:1.9, can be ratio, respectively, and b fro 30% to 70%, by advantageously p y herein Wlth attendant good weight, of a branched-chain aliphatic monofuncresults. tional primary or secondary alcohol containing from EXAMPLES 2 To 9 6 to 18 carbon atoms, the molar ratio of said 6 to A plurality of blends of urea resin as defined above, 18 carbon atom alcohol to said urea resin being an alcohol, and, optionally, an acid catalyst, is poured 0.4-0.8:1, respectively, over 4-inch by 12-inch stainless steel panels and drained and for ten minutes. The films are then baked or cured at (2) from 0% to 20%, by weight, of an inert aqueous 125 C. for ten minutes. The compositions and hardness or organic solvent for said blend. results are set forth in Table I below. 2. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the TABLE I Example 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 6 Composition:

Urea resin (example 1)-.:-:; 20 30 40 70 80 60 50 Ise-decanol 80 70 60 40 30 20 40 Iso-ocmnnl 50 p-Toluol sulfonic acid (20% aqueous solution) 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 Ethanol t e A Knoop hardness Sticky 0.5-6. 0.8-1.2 18-20 8-10 Soft 3-4 2 1 Taken hardness.

It will be noted that, with the exception of Examples 3 to 6, 8, and 9, the films were soft and sticky without any mechanical or physical properties. However, in Examples 5, 8, and 9, the films were hard, tough, and mar resistant. On observation, they were additionally smooth to the touch, free from any craters and pinholes, and did not exhibit any crawling. The films in the latter examples resisted acetone and other solvent rubbing.

Similar films are obtained when 2,6,8-trimethyl-4- nonanol is employed in lieu of iso-decanol. When omitting the acid catalyst in each of the examples, similar films are obtained when baking or curing to a temperature of 175 C. instead of a temperature of 125 C.

3,776,879 5 6 7. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the References Cited monofunctional alcohol is iso-decanol. UNITED STATES PATENTS 8. The composition according to claim 1 wherein the monofunctional alcohol is 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol. gi g 8 9. The composition according to claim 1 in which the 5 3247149 4/1966 e a i X alcohol is a 50-50 mixture of 2-methyl-2,4-pcntancdiol n and is0 decano1 LEWIS T. JACOBS, Primary Examiner 10. The composition according to claim 1 in which U.S. Cl. X.R.

the alcohol is iso-octanol. 260-29.4 R

UNITED sTATEs PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. z 7'76 8 79 Dated n g mb g 5, 19:25

Inventor(s) WERNER JOSEF BLANK It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said'Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 5, in Table I: In the top line, after "Example", change "6" (second occurence) to 9 in the bottom line, after "Knoop hardness change "0.5-6. to 0.5-0.6 Column 5 line 65. Delete ""5 to" and replace by 5, Column 1n Table II: In the seventh line, change 'solution" to solution) Signed and sealed this 7th day of Ma 197A.

(SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD I'-'I.FLETCHER,JR. C. MARSliA-LL DANN Attesting; Officer Commissloner of Patents FoRM Po-wso (10-69) 

